Hey Family got some words for you!
The question I received most after committing to Squad Lead for World Race Gap Year is “How could you possibly do this during the Coronavirus?”. And at the beginning I could not answer most people. It was especially hard to try to explain to those who followed my World Race experience last year and hearing about the amazing ways the Lord was moving in and through our Squad overseas.
I had the same questions. Without Covid-19 becoming a real issue before Gap Year launched, there was no guarantee of ever going overseas. And when Gap Year officially launched its contingency plan to do the first three months in Gainesville, Ga. My stomach dropped. But I knew I wanted to be committed to the people and not to the places.
That being said, there were many more questions than answers. Because the World Race’s big tagline is it’s ability to do ministry overseas and give young adults the opportunity to serve and learn in new cultures and immerse themselves in the Lord in some fantastic places! And it seemed that the tagline was lost.
It has been almost two months of being here in Georgia and the Lord has shown me more of what it means to live a life on missions. I’ve learned to slow down, to learn, to sit and be still and know He is God. These two months, I believe, have been the most beneficial for me and these racers. Because our culture is so fast paced and consumeristic that we a lot of us have seen God more of a vending machine for experiences, gifts, and almost a means to an end for ourselves. I’ve seen that here at Adventures in Missions. A lot of Racers come for the experience and forget the point of it all, the Lord.
But being here, in a community so focused on knowing the Lord and growing in Intimacy with Him has allowed us to deal with a lot of the identity issues we all have with the Lord. We are learning to be dependent on Him and not His gifts. It’s about relationship, always has been. Everything else is second. When we look in scripture, the only guarantee we are ever promised is found in Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the GUARANTEE of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, the praise of his glory.” (ESV)
We as a church have to let the Holy Spirit be enough. 2020 has been a hard year but I think it has shown the holes in our Church. We are so dependent on four walls, others, activities, to activate our faith. Things we are never guaranteed.
But we surrender all of that to the Lord without any expectation of getting it back and rest in the knowledge we are the dwelling place of the Lord and that is more than enough and far more than we will ever deserve. That’s when we can see the Lord do things beyond our understanding.
We didn’t think we would be able to do ministry here in Gainesville, but the Lord blessed us with the opportunity to go to Louisiana with Samaritan’s Purse! Thanks God and we get to GO BACK for another week! Squads here are starting local ministry here in town! I truly believe it is because we came to a place where we were only pursuing him and not things connected to him that he blessed us with the desire to serve him and his children outside AIM campus!
So here’s a fun little question for you… Is the presence of God enough for you in this season? Without the usual experiences we are so used to, are you still pursuing the Lord with zeal? I would love to know. Now is a great time to be still and know that He is God and his character is the same today as it was before Coronavirus.
Love you all! I’ll update you all after Louisiana Round 2!
I ask that you continue to intercede for me! I am always in need of Prayer. Also please share my story and the stories from my squad. I truly believe the Lord is moving in their lives and I want people to see the freedom they have found with the Lord. Because ultimately it is about Him and not us!
Love you all and thank you for continuing to follow my story!!
PS. I am still fundraising! If you feel led to give or know someone looking to bless a broke missionary I have included my donate link below!
https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=staff&desc=Carter%20Groves&appeal_id=GROVESCARTER
